Follow Us

McGee Acquires 3 Tenn. Clients

Year-old Nashville, Tenn., agency McGee Best Frank & Ingram signed three in-state clients following a like number of reviews. Combined billings are estimated at $2 million. New to the shop’s roster are Clarksville Memorial Hospital, the Tennessee Repertory Theatre and Gatlinburg (Tenn.) Tourism. Looking for a new agency, Clarksville Memorial recently sent out 20 requests for proposals, said client director of marketing and public relations Benita Martin. She would not name the two finalists that competed with McGee Best Frank & Ingram (MBF&I), but sources said Dye, Van Mol & Lawrence in Nashville was among the contenders. An undisclosed Tennessee-based agency had held the account for seven years. Martin said MBF&I presented “fresh material rather than the same old healthcare stuff.” The agency is charged with developing an image campaign for the hospital, which competes with bigger healthcare entities in Nashville. TV will be in the media mix for the first time, Martin said. The Tennessee Repertory Theatre, known to Nashville residents as “The Rep,” enlisted MBF&I following a review that pitted the shop against Nashville rivals Ericson Marketing Communications and Endres & Wilson, confirmed client director of marketing and development Clare Bisceglia. MBF&I will create the 13-year-old theater’s first image campaign through cable TV, radio, print, promotions and public relations. Part of the agency’s strategy is to target younger adults through tongue-in-cheek humor, said MBF&I vice president of client services Chris Cunningham. MBF&I again fended off Endres & Wilson and an undisclosed shop to land the Gatlinburg Tourism account, which had no incumbent, per Cunningham. Gunnar Eng, who recently left Endres to join MBF&I as its second vice president of client services, “played an influential role” in winning both the Clarksville Memorial and Gatlinburg accounts, Cunningham said.